Photographer's Note

Taquile is an island on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca 45 km offshore from the city of Puno. About 2,200 people live on the island, which is 5.5 by 1.6 km in size (maximum measurements), with an area of 5.72 km2. The highest point of the island is 4050 meters above sea level and the main village is at 3950 m. The inhabitants, known as Taquileños, are southern Quechua speakers.
In 2005, "Taquile and Its Textile Art" were honored by being proclaimed "Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity" by UNESCO.
Taquileños are known for their fine handwoven textiles and clothing, which are regarded as among the highest-quality handicrafts in Peru. Knitting is exclusively performed by males, starting at age eight. The women exclusively make yarn and weave.
Taquileans are also known for having created an innovative, community-controlled tourism model, offering home stays, transportation, lodging for groups, cultural activities, local guides and restaurants. Ever since tourism started coming to Taquile in the seventies, the taquleans slowly lost control over the mass day-tourism operated by non-Taquileans. The local Travel Agency Munay Taquile has thus been established to regain control over tourism.
Taquileños run their society based on community collectivism and on the Inca moral code ama sua, ama llulla, ama qhilla, (Quechua for "do not steal, do not lie, do not be lazy"). The island is divided into six sectors or suyus for crop rotation purposes. The economy is based on fishing, terraced farming horticulture based on potato cultivation, and tourist-generated income from the approximately 40,000 tourists who visit each year.

I hate graffiti. I don't know why people think they need to vandalize other people's property. It's both criminal and immoral as far as I'm concerned and I wish it would stop.

However, in this particular photo the graffiti adds to the interest of the photograph, especially because it contrasts so well with the wall. The little boy running by wearing traditional clothing adds yet another interesting element to the photo.

But I don't like the composition at all. Both the boy and the doorway are lined up and perfectly centered in the photo. Hopefully you took more than one image as part of a sequence and you have one with the boy and the doorway separated.

I hope you don't mind my being so blunt. What happens all too often here on TrekEarth is the fact that there are very few critiques that help other photographers improve their work.

It is as if the writings on the wall are the visualization of this little guy's thoughts, especially with the arrows pointing in all different directions, just like a child's random ideas and imaginings. happy thing that his white shirt is the same color as the graffiti. and I very much like that he is the center of attention, nicely framed by the old door, as if he has just broken free.

this photograph just makes me smile -- thanks for sharing it with us :)